Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Malabar (AF-37)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Xray - Golf - Juliet NXGJ

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia or Europe clasp) - National Defense Service Medal

Adria Class Stores Ship:

Laid down, 17 July 1944, as a Maritime Commission type (R1-M-AV3) hull under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2201) at Pennsylvania Shipyards, Inc, Beaumont, TX.

Launched, 17 September 1944

Acquired by the Navy, 24 February 1945

Converted for Naval service at Tennessee Coal & Iron Dock, Houston, TX.

Commissioned, USS Malabar (AF-37), 8 March 1945, LT. Charles S. Rogers, USNR in command

During World War II USS Malabar was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater

Following World War II USS Malabar was assigned to Occupation and China service for the following periods:

Navy Occupation Service Medal	China Service Medal (extended)
(Asia) 16 to 30 September 1945	16 November to 3 December 1945
(Europe) 27 March to 7 April 1948
(Europe) 11 December 1950 to 2 January 1951

Decommissioned, 20 June 1955, at Galveston, TX.

Laid up in Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, TX.

Title transferred to the Maritime Administration, 26 May 1960

Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1960

Final disposition, disposed of by MARAD sold for scrapping, 27 July 1977, Consolidated-Andy Inc., 19 August 1977

Specifications:
Displacement 3,139 t.(lt) 7,435 t.(fl)
Length 338' 6"
Beam 50'
Draft 21' 1"
Speed 11.5 kts. (trial)

Complement

Officers 10

Enlisted 74

Largest Boom Capacity 10 t.

Cargo Capacity 3,170 DWT

non-refrigerated 47,510 Cu ft

refrigerated 114,580 Cu ft

Armament

one single 3"/50 cal dual purpose gun mount

six single 20mm AA gun mounts

Fuel Capacity Diesel 6,300 Bbls

Propulsion

one Nordberg Diesel TSM engine

three Diesel-drive 250Kw 120V/240V D.C. Ship's Service Generators

one propeller, 1,700shp

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
09064502 BS 79120	173k	Malabar (AF-37) underway off the Texas coast, prior to commissioning, 24 February 1945. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 6AO. U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photos BS 79120 and 79116	Robert Hurst
09064503 BS 79120	98k		Robert Hurst
09064504	107k	Malabar (AF-37) at anchor on the Whang-poo (Huangpu) River, Shanghai, China, circa 16 November to 3 December 1945. Good Firend (Friend) Photo Co, Shanghai, China	Jim Mastracco for his father Henry A. Mastracco S1/c, USS LST-914

USS Malabar (AF-37)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Rogers, Charles Sanders	8 March 1945 - 12 June 1946
02	LCDR. Buker, Melvin Charles, USNR	12 June 1946 - 19 April 1947
03	LCDR. Lyman, John Grant, USNR	19 April 1947 - 9 March 1948
04	CDR. Dodson, Boykin Robinson	9 March 1948 - 1949
05	LCDR. Garland, John Dexter	1949 - 1950
06	CDR. Lewankowski, Stanley John	1950 - June 1952
07	LCDR. Chern, John Robert, USN	June 1952 - 1953
08	CDR. Moody, Jr., Harold, A.	1953 - ?


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
MARAD Vessel History Data Base

Back To The Main Photo Index

Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index

Back To The Stores Ship (AF) Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.

This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 9 August 2024